Podcast Summary: New Books Network – Lucy Sante on "Nineteen Reservoirs"
Episode Date: September 14, 2025
Host: Dr. Miranda Melcher
Guest: Lucy Sante
Book Discussed: Nineteen Reservoirs: On Their Creation and the Promise of Water for New York City (The Experiment, 2022)
Episode Overview
This episode features an in-depth conversation between Dr. Miranda Melcher and author Lucy Sante, focusing on the creation of the reservoir system that supplies water to New York City. Sante’s book uncovers the complex history, social impact, and ongoing legacy of the construction of nineteen reservoirs and the accompanying aqueducts in upstate New York. The discussion explores themes of displacement, environmental transformation, urban privilege, and local resentment, providing a nuanced look at how major infrastructure projects shape lives and landscapes for generations.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Lucy's Connection and Motivation
- Personal Background: Lucy Sante introduces herself as a Belgian-born writer who has lived in New Jersey, New York City, and for 25 years in the Hudson River Valley ([02:11]).
- Local Fascination: Sante’s interest in the reservoirs grew after moving close to the Pepacton and Ashokan Reservoirs, where she encountered lingering resentment among locals displaced by these projects.
- She notes the “haunted atmosphere” surrounding these sites and how some resentments from as far back as 1911 are “carried ... to the present” ([03:22]).
- Purpose: The book is described as her “local book,” a reflection on the landscapes and people she lives among.
2. Historical Origins of the Reservoirs
- Early Vision: Interest in building reservoirs dates to at least 1888, when a Scientific American article prophetically outlined potential sites ([04:56]).
- Exponential Demand: Rapid urban growth and heightened demand for water (commercial and domestic) drove these projects.
- Quote: “They were thinking commercially before they thought of people’s needs ... We are millions, they are dozens.” – Sante ([06:08]).
- Chronology: Ashokan Reservoir (work began 1907), Gilboa Dam (early 1950s), Cannonsville Reservoir (opened 1967). The process submerged towns and upended established rural communities.
3. Land Acquisition and Displacement
- Process: Land for reservoirs was bought through locally staffed assessment boards, but the city typically undervalued properties and often ignored business losses and livelihood impacts ([13:51]).
- Quote: “They would offer 25% of what they thought the real value was ... and they ignored the use value of this land.” – Sante ([14:41])
- Pushback: Locals sometimes barricaded homes; there were rare, documented accounts of violence.
- Ongoing Legal Battles: Lawsuits over inadequate compensation persisted for decades.
4. Construction and Workforce
- Pharaonic Scale: The building of the reservoirs was massive, likened to constructing pyramids, with years of effort (e.g., Ashokan took about seven years) ([19:02]).
- Labor Force: Workers were brought in from nearby cities and directly from Ellis Island. Later, many Mohawk Nation laborers were involved ([22:22]).
- Funding: All costs were covered by New York City taxes; the city repeatedly tried to economize, often at the locals’ expense ([23:13]).
5. Impact of Major Events
- Great Depression and WWII: Work halted during the Depression and WWII. Projects started in the late 1930s (Rondout, Neversink) were delayed and only completed postwar ([24:17]).
- Postwar Changes: Although the postwar era brought prosperity, the basic conflicts—urban need versus rural loss—remained unchanged.
6. Environmental and Social Effects
- Transformation: The reservoirs dramatically altered the rivers and landscapes. Strict regulation around reservoirs impacted traditional agriculture and recreation ([19:02], [21:06]).
- Environmental Impact Neglected: No environmental studies were conducted; potential loss of species remains undocumented ([28:04]).
- Local Consequences: Villages lost community structure, livelihoods, and physical homes, driving a sense of historical injustice.
7. Ongoing Tensions and Legacies
- Regulation and Limited Concessions: The only notable concession was granting fishing rights under strict regulations ([29:42]).
- Resentment: Deep-rooted resentment against New York City persists, compounded by recent urban migration into rural areas, which has reignited class and cultural divisions ([32:08]).
- Quote: “The main legacy is a continuation ... locals resenting the superior and colonial attitude of the city of New York.” – Sante ([32:08])
- Modern Parallels: Sante draws comparisons to broader class struggles and rural-urban divides worldwide.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “This beauty, this tension, these vast, pharaonic works in the countryside—it was just a subject that I knew I was going to write about for about the last 25 years.” – Lucy Sante ([03:22])
- On the city’s attitude: “We are vastly superior to you, and it is our God-given right to take your resources because there are only, you know, 16 people in your county anyway.” ([07:04])
- On locals’ loss: “Suddenly it was all taken away from them: the whole landscape, the social fabric, everything at the same time.” ([10:18])
- On legacy: “It’s the class struggle. It’s taken many, many forms, and it’s illustrated in this particularly strange and complex way with the story of the reservoirs.” ([34:37])
Important Timestamps
- 02:03 – Lucy Sante introduces herself and explains her fascination with the reservoirs
- 04:56 – Early vision for the reservoirs and prophetic 1888 article
- 13:51 – How New York City acquired the land and the mechanisms of forced purchase
- 19:02 – The scale and nature of reservoir construction projects
- 22:22 – The diverse, imported labor force involved
- 24:17 – How the Great Depression and World War II interrupted construction
- 28:04 – Why environmental impact was not considered at the time
- 29:42 – The only local concession: restricted fishing rights
- 32:08 – The persistent legacy of resentment and rural-urban tension
- 35:46 – Sante’s upcoming books and final reflections
Lucy Sante’s Upcoming Work
- Next book focuses on 1960s New York City, centered on The Velvet Underground.
- A future book, How to Sit Down, on writing.
Tone and Style
Lucy Sante’s tone is elegiac yet incisive—both lamenting the losses endured by rural communities and critically probing the urban logic that drove such developments. The conversation blends personal anecdote, historical insight, and sharp social observation.